05-05-2021, 03:13 PM
MINNESOTA VIKINGS POST-DRAFT TEAM GUIDEAfter a disappointing 7-9 record to finish out the 2020 season that included a third-place finish in the division, the Vikings were aiming to once again improve in the trenches. With clear holes along both the offensive and defensive lines as well as on the second and third level of the defense, the team added what it needed in order to get back in contention in the NFC North.
Let’s take a look back at their 2021 NFL Draft class:
Round 1: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
With a clear hole at left tackle, questions surfaced about whether or not if Brian O’Neill or Ezra Cleveland would transition to protect the blindside of Kirk Cousins. Neither came to fruition as the team traded back nine spots. Settling into the No. 23 overall pick while also recouping two extra third-round picks from the Jets, the franchise found its next starting left tackle. Darrisaw is a three-year starter that has only played on the left side. He will be penciled in as the starter from Day 1 to provide a promising duo of bookends for the offense moving forward
Round 3: Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' selection of Kyle Trask to round out the second round began a run on the second tier of quarterbacks. At the top of the third round, the team finally invested in a young signal-caller prior to Day 3 and undrafted free agency. Possessing a large sample size, Mond started in 44 of the 47 career games that he played in. Sitting atop nearly every record in Texas A&M history, he rightfully goes to a situation where he can sit behind an experienced veteran while fine-tuning some of the mechanical aspects of his game that will need tweaking. A bit of a stiff, high elbow, and upright thrower, playing looser and blending his consistent stretches will be areas that will need to be addressed. Consistently inconsistent is a phrase often used to describe Mond, as he has stretches of play where he looked like a top-50 pick while there were others where he looked like a borderline draftable player. Regardless, with Cousins set to count $45 million against the cap in 2022, Mond was a worthy lottery ticket to invest in.
Round 3: Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
Prioritizing the second level of the defense has always been precious to general manager Rick Spielman as he has two of the highest-paid linebackers in the league in Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. An underrated loss this offseason, though, was Eric Wilson. A serviceable fill-in during Barr’s absence after suffering a torn pec last season, he was a high-energy and disciplined player that was a mainstay on special teams. In a similar mold, Surratt will be expected to fill that void moving forward. Surratt is likely a weakside linebacker at the next level, but he has shown lots of promise in only his second season playing the position after spending his first two at quarterback.
Round 3: Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State
After the selection of Darrisaw on the first night of the draft, the team continued to remake the left side of its offensive line. Selecting Davis brought joy from many as this pairing is one that surfaced in the first round of many mock drafts last fall. Desperately needing an upgrade from Dakota Dozier, Davis brings a nasty and sturdy blocker who projects as a starter immediately at either guard spot
Round 3: Patrick Jones II, EDGE, PITT
In years past, the franchise hasn’t been shy about taking chances on athletic but raw edge rushers. Lacking depth off of the edge, the first of two selections at the position was utilized on Jones. A constant pressure creator, Jones is quick out of the starting blocks, but has some improvements that need to be made with his hands and cornering to finish at the quarterback. With a known talent developer in co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in Andre Patterson, Jones is his next pupil to hopefully improve after being under Patterson’s tutelage.
Let’s take a look back at their 2021 NFL Draft class:
Round 1: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
With a clear hole at left tackle, questions surfaced about whether or not if Brian O’Neill or Ezra Cleveland would transition to protect the blindside of Kirk Cousins. Neither came to fruition as the team traded back nine spots. Settling into the No. 23 overall pick while also recouping two extra third-round picks from the Jets, the franchise found its next starting left tackle. Darrisaw is a three-year starter that has only played on the left side. He will be penciled in as the starter from Day 1 to provide a promising duo of bookends for the offense moving forward
Round 3: Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' selection of Kyle Trask to round out the second round began a run on the second tier of quarterbacks. At the top of the third round, the team finally invested in a young signal-caller prior to Day 3 and undrafted free agency. Possessing a large sample size, Mond started in 44 of the 47 career games that he played in. Sitting atop nearly every record in Texas A&M history, he rightfully goes to a situation where he can sit behind an experienced veteran while fine-tuning some of the mechanical aspects of his game that will need tweaking. A bit of a stiff, high elbow, and upright thrower, playing looser and blending his consistent stretches will be areas that will need to be addressed. Consistently inconsistent is a phrase often used to describe Mond, as he has stretches of play where he looked like a top-50 pick while there were others where he looked like a borderline draftable player. Regardless, with Cousins set to count $45 million against the cap in 2022, Mond was a worthy lottery ticket to invest in.
Round 3: Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
Prioritizing the second level of the defense has always been precious to general manager Rick Spielman as he has two of the highest-paid linebackers in the league in Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. An underrated loss this offseason, though, was Eric Wilson. A serviceable fill-in during Barr’s absence after suffering a torn pec last season, he was a high-energy and disciplined player that was a mainstay on special teams. In a similar mold, Surratt will be expected to fill that void moving forward. Surratt is likely a weakside linebacker at the next level, but he has shown lots of promise in only his second season playing the position after spending his first two at quarterback.
Round 3: Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State
After the selection of Darrisaw on the first night of the draft, the team continued to remake the left side of its offensive line. Selecting Davis brought joy from many as this pairing is one that surfaced in the first round of many mock drafts last fall. Desperately needing an upgrade from Dakota Dozier, Davis brings a nasty and sturdy blocker who projects as a starter immediately at either guard spot
Round 3: Patrick Jones II, EDGE, PITT
In years past, the franchise hasn’t been shy about taking chances on athletic but raw edge rushers. Lacking depth off of the edge, the first of two selections at the position was utilized on Jones. A constant pressure creator, Jones is quick out of the starting blocks, but has some improvements that need to be made with his hands and cornering to finish at the quarterback. With a known talent developer in co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in Andre Patterson, Jones is his next pupil to hopefully improve after being under Patterson’s tutelage.
